Clay County, MO: the USDA septic-suitability picture
Very limited
Clay County, MO: USDA's soil survey calls 87.4% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. That reading means a conventional system is a poor bet here - 87.4% of Clay County lands in the strictest "very limited" bucket USDA uses. The county spans 397.658 square miles, home to 263,370 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
Nothing about Clay County, MO's SSURGO figure applies to a specific address - it's a county-wide average. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.
Clay County: conventional vs. engineered cost
87.4% of Clay County carrying a "Very limited" reading changes the realistic budget here. Conventional systems run $3,000-$8,000 where they pass; where they don't, engineered alternatives (mound or aerobic treatment, whichever the health department requires) run $10,000-$40,000 - budget toward the higher figure until a perc test says otherwise.
How Clay County, MO compares
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Clay County, MO ranks 1,513 most-constrained nationally, and 85 of 114 within Missouri.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems